Darksun is a Dungeons & Dragons setting based on the harsh world of Athas, which was once a life-teeming ocean blue planet, but which has since been stripped of its fertility by uncontrolled use of defiling magic, although a small offshot of magicians called preservers tends to maintain life and ultimately restore the primeval lushness. Another characteristic of Athas life is its lack of any serious mountain chains and therefore scarcity of metal and stone. Wood, obsidian and bone are used for weapons, tools and structure building. Athasian races include half-giants, more inteliigent than their counterparts in other worlds, and muls, the unique dwarf-human breed.
Psionics is highly developed on Athas even in animal minds, and almost every individual is born with a wild talent or two. Schools of the minds exist, mostly maintained by and serving the dragon kings.
Athas is ruled by several dragon kings, former champions of Rajaat, one of the earliest defiler wizards who was obsessed with racial purity and ordered the extermination of all non-human Athasian races. Some of his champions failed in their tasks and some rebelled, slaying their master and working in concert to raise themselves to highest levels of power resulting in the transformation into a dragon.
To return to the Dungeons & Dragons page, click here
